Spurs notebook: Shaw no stranger to seeing star players rest

DENVER — Though he’s in his first season as a head coach, Brian Shaw has been around the NBA as a player or assistant coach since 1989, including four seasons as a player and seven as an assistant under Phil Jackson.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s decision to leave Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in San Antonio after Sunday’s preseason game against the Suns was neither a surprise nor a disappointment to him.

“I understand those guys have won many, many awards,” Shaw said before tipoff of the Spurs-Nuggets game at the Pepsi Center on Monday. “I understand how Coach Popovich does things. Phil Jackson did the same thing: Rested guys.

“It’s still an opportunity for our guys to play and get better regardless of who they throw out there.”

There were some disappointed Nuggets fans, of course, especially those selected to have their pictures taken with the team captains before the game.

For the Spurs on Monday, that was Matt Bonner.

“I’m sure that whoever comes out tonight is going to be pretty disappointed when the Spur that saunters out for the halfcourt picture is me instead of the Big Three,” said Bonner, the longest-tenured Spurs player after the Big Three.

Toros tryouts: Players who believe they have what it takes to play at the NBA Development League level will have an opportunity to prove it Saturday when the Spurs’ D-League team, the Austin Toros, hold an open tryout.

The tryouts will be held at the S.A. Factory of Champions, 8227 Broadway, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. The tryout session is expected to last until 3 p.m.

Toros coach Ken McDonald stressed that the club will be looking for players who fit the mold of the Toros and exhibit the character and work ethic the club always seeks.

Attendees will have the opportunity to earn invitations to the team’s training camp, scheduled to begin in early November.

Tryout participants should submit the required registration, disclosure and release forms, along with a $175 non-refundable fee, before Oct. 17th. Walkup registration is subject to availability. Acceptable forms of payment are a cashier’s check or money order. Tryouts are limited to the first 100 registered players who submit completed registration forms and payment. All forms are available at austintoros.com or by calling the Toros at 512-236-8333.